Tunneling-machine.



D. A. ROBINSN.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3. 1908.

Nm, I

`PfIItented July 13, 1915.

4 sIIEIaTs-SIIEETL l II /A/afA/ra@ A www1/4; P05/N50# /fs #1ro I--IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ---l Il.-- .i 'V

wflq n* I IIIII III. II.. ||I| d., m l." .I II v Vf/M Mw. Tw mm, I I.1I. II II mm WW. M Awwmv Nia, J. W.^.,...\.

Y. mm 4...

aJ/zMfzs e O. A. ROBINSON.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 190s.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G5 m mm l lo if, I I

Patented July 13, 1915.

D. A. ROBINSON.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

Patented July 13, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 D. A. ROBINSON.

TUNNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man sEPT.3,19o8.

1,146,281 Patented July 13, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

i ITED STATES AT rrr omnes.

TUNNELINGr-MACHINE.

T all 107mm t may concern Be it known that I, DIGH'roN A. ROBIN- soN, ofSeattle, King county, Washington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Tunneling- Machines, of which the following is thespecification.

My invention relates to machines for tunneling a rock formation and theobject of the invention, is to provide a machine by means of which theheading can be easily and quickly drilled and channeled preparatory tothe blasting operation.

A further object, is to provide a machine which will obviate thenecessity of removing an immense amount of rock, which, durinv theblasting operation, would break outsi e the necessary lines of thetunnel. The cutting out of only so much rock as is necessary for thetunnel, saves the expense of filling unnecessary space and renders thework. safer for the men, as the channeling operation will have theeffect of keying the loose pieces of rock in the walls.`

A further object, is to provide a machine, which after drilling andchanneling, can be withdrawn from the heading and a receptaclesubstituted therefor, to receive the fragments of rock from the blast.

A further object is to provide a machine of simple construction, onewhich can be easily moved te and fromthe work and being composed ofcomparatively few parts, will be strong and durable and require butlittle attention in the way of repairs.

In carrying out my invention, I propose to provide a machine having avseriesl of drills for putting the blast holes into the heading. Aroundt-hese holes, a channel is cut in the rock to prevent the walls of thetunnel from being shattered when the heading is blasted. It is mypurpose to provide recesses in the side walls of the tunnel capable ofreceiving the drilling andchanneling mechanism to remove it from theforce and effect of the explosion. i

I have shown the drilling and channeling apparatus combined in onemachine, but in practice, I propose to build them separately as Ibelievebetter results can be obtained through .independentl operation ofthese mechanisms. Y'Ihe drilling machine would be used first, and thenwithdrawn from the heading and switched into a recess provided thereforin the side wall of the tunnel. The channeling machine would then bemoved forward and a channel cut in the heading Specification of Letters`.Patent.V Pathted J 1,3., 1915.

Application led September 3, 1908.

Serial No. 451,512. i

around the drilled holes. Then it would be withdrawn and switched into arecess similar to the one provided for the drilling machine. `I wouldthen move a car forward having a pan or receptacle thereon which frontof the heading, is adapted to receive the fragments of rock fromtheblast. The pan would then bedrawn up on to the platform of its car, andremoved from the tunhave illustrated the drilling mechanism andchanneling machine combined in one apparatus. that I do not confinemyself to this construction, as I believe the independent constructionand operation of these mechanisms tobe more practicable.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,Figurerl, is a longitudina-l sectional view of my improved tunnelingmachine, illustrating it in operation within a tunnel, Fig. 2, is a sideelevation of the car whereon my tunneling apparatus is mounted, Fig. 3,is a transverse sectional view of the machine, Fig. 1, is a sectionalview illustrating the manner of supporting the rotary channeling drum,Fig. is a front elevation of the machine, showing the number andarrangement of the drills. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing themeans for mounting `the feed wheel and holding it against displacement.

In the drawing, 2 represents a track laid upon the floor of the tunnel.

3 is a car adapted to travel back and'forth It will be understood,however,

when adjusted :on the floor of the tunnel in on said track. At the topof the car, jack screws 4L are provided between the car and the top ofthe tunnel for the purpose of held,- ing the car rigidly during theoperation of the machine. y 1 f 5 is a stationary tube supportedhorizontally in hubs 6 and 7 on the car 3 and promovement of the gear 14is prevented by its engagement with the flange on the gear 16. Athreaded rod 21 is connected to the inner end of the drill spindle 12,and has a sliding connection with a bracket 22 on the car frame and isprovided with a wheel 23 having its hub in engagement with said bracket.The revolution of this wheel will feed the drill spindle forward orretract it as desired, the hub 15 sliding on the spindle as it is movedback and forth. A sleeve 23 is interposed between the hub of the wheel23 and the screw 21 and is locked against forward movement in thebearing by a [lange 23" which engages a recess formed in the bearing, asshown in Fig. 6. Screws 22 pass through the hub of the wheel 23 into thesleeve 23 and lock the wheel against independent movement lengthwise ofthe sleeve. The sleeve being interiorly threaded and engaging thethreads of the screw 2l, it follows that revolution of the wheel 23 willfeed the screw forward without permitting movement of the wheel or thesleeve in either direction, backward movement of the wheel beingprevented by the engagement of its hub with the bearing. This diamonddrill is for the purpose of boring a socket in the heading of the tunnelto receive the forward end of the tube S which serves as an axis aroundwhich the drum supporting the channeling drills is adapted to revolve.The central hole may be drilled with a common large drill in advance 4ofthe heading blast holes. A spider or carrier 24 is loosely mounted onthe forward end of the tube 12 and carries a series of secondary drills.These drills include drill carriages 25 which have a radial movementback and forth on the arms of the spider and are operated by means ofthreaded rods 26 having hand wheels 27. The spider be locked on the tube12 by the set screw 27 if found necessary during the drilling` of theblast holes. Byadjusting these carriages back and forth, the drill holesmay be located at the desired distance from the socket or hole formed bythe diamond drill and any desired number of drill holes may be made inthe heading around the central one. On each of the carriage 25, a frame28 is pivoted at 29 and is tilted on its pivot by means of a threadedstud 30 and a hand wheel 31. By the adjustment of this hand wheel, theangle of the drill frame with respect to the horizontal, may be variedand the inclination of the drill hole in the heading changedaccordingly.

A drill cylinder 32 is mounted on each frame 28 and carries a drill 33which is fed forward to the work by means of a threaded rod 34 providedwith a hand wheel 35. The drills are operated by pneumatic pressure fromcompressors located outside the tunnel and connected with air tanks 32and 32 mounted on the car 3. The drill cylinders are constructed toimpart a reciprocating movement to the drills. Mechanism may also beprovided in the drill cylinders for regulating the feed of the drillsand this being of ordinary construction, T have omitted detail views,and make no claim to the same herein. There may be any desired number ofthe drills according to the size of the tunneling machine and when thedrills are withdrawn from the heading, the spider supporting them, maybe revolved in either direction, so that the operator can reach any partof the heading in which it is desired to drill a hole.

Upon the tube 5, a series of grooved antifriction rollers 3G are mountedextending at intervals around the tube and adapted to receive the Vshaped inner edges of rings 37 and 38 which are secured to the innersurface of a drum 39. This drum is in the form of a truncated conehaving its open larger end opposite the heading of the tunnel and withinwhich end the frames supporting the drills project. This drum isarranged to revolve around its axis. Any suitable mechanism may beemployed for imparting a revolving movement to the drum, but T haveillustrated in the drawing, a simple apparatus by means of which thisrevolution may be performed.

40 represents a ring having internal gear teeth and secured to the innersurface of the drum and meshing with a pinion 41 on a shaft 42. A wormwheel 43 is Secured on said shaft and meshes with a worm 44 on a shaft45 which is transversely mounted on the car 3 and is provided with agear 46 meshing with a pinion 46 on the shaft of a motor 47. Throughthis driving connection, the drum is revolved at the desired speed.

Upon the periphery of the drum at suitable intervals, l arrange a secondseries of secondary drills which I prefer to designate as channelers,the revolving drum and the drills carried thereby, comprising thechanneling apparatus. These channelers will be connected with therevolving drum air tank. This apparatus is for the purpose of cutting achannel or groove in the heading around the series of drill holestherein, so that when the heading is blasted the rock will be blown outwithout shattering or destroying the regular formation of the tunnelroof, and walls. A series of screws 4S are mounted at intervals on theperiphery of the drum and carry gears 49 which mesh with a stationarygear 50 that is secured to the tube 5. The engagement of the gear 49carried by the revolving drum with the stationary gear 50, will impart arevolving movement to the screw 48 and feed the drill carriage 50forward 'to the work. A drill cylinder 51 is provided for eachchanneling drill 52 and is connected by links 53 with the Carriage 50.

Maese-1 adjusting wheel 54 is provided for the purpose of swinging thecylinder 51 on said links and drawing the channeler in toward the drumwhen itis retarded and increasing the space between' the channeler andthe wall of they tunnel. If the blocks or supports for the drills weremade solid, this would not be possible. A clutch device 55 is providedon the screw 48 by means of which the gear 49 may be rendered operativeor inoperative. n It is sometimes desirable to withdraw one or more ofthe channeling drills from the heading without disturbing the others andI therefore provide a reversible motor 56 within the car havingaflexible shaft 57 that is adapted to be temporarily attached to the endof the screw48. When this attachment has been made, and the gear 49rendered inoperative, the screw 48 may be revolved andthe drill carriage50 rapidly withdrawn from or returned to its working position, the drumof course being temporarily stationary. The cylinders 51 will beconnected with the air compressor in the same manner as described withreference to the cylinders 32, except that suitable `provision will bemade to allow'revolution of the drum without interfering with the tubesleading to the air tank.

In a machine of this type, in order that a Aflat floor may be formed inthe tunnel, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for cutting out thetriangular blocks at the bottom of the tunnel wall on eachy side of thecenter line, and to accomplish this without shattering the tunnel wall,I provide vertically operating channeling drills lsupported on each sideof the car. This mechanism I will now describe in detail.

58 is a carriage movable horizontally'on guides by a screw 60 that issupported in bars 6l mounted on brackets 62 which are hinged to the sidewalls of the car. These brackets are capable of swinging inwardlyagainst the car walls, but are normally held in a position at rightangles thereto by means of brace bars 63. These brace bars are pivotedat one end to the car and are detachably connected by meansof pins 64 tothe brackets 62. Upon the removal of these pins, the brackets and thevertically arranged drill carriages may be swung inwardly in aninoperative position. Drill cylinders 65 are mounted on the carriages 58and support drills 66 having feed screws 67 geared to motors 68. Thecarriages 58 are moved back and forth on the screw shaft and the screwsare revolved through cable connections 69 with the hub 15;

In the operation of this machine, the car is run forward into thetunnel, andthe central socket formed in the heading. At the same time, aseriesof holes may be drilled in the heading around 'the central one anydesired distance 'apart and at a suitable angle.

A channel is cut in the headingaround the drill holes by means of therevolving drum and the channeling drills carriedthereby. The car is thenwithdrawn from-the work and where two independentV drilling andchanneling machines are'employed, they' will be successively switchedinto recesses inethe walls ofthe tunnel and a car 'moved forwardcarrying a receptacle or pan'to `receive the rock when the blast ismade; The Span when loaded, is drawn back upon the carwhich is pulledout ofthe tunnel and the operation of drilling and channeling, may thenbevvrepeated. lith this apparatus,`I amable' to drill and blast out atunnel at verylmuch less expense' than is ordinarily required for workof this kind, and a machineof this type and operating in this way, willhave a larger capacity than any other 'apparatus h'eretoiore employedfor thispurpose.

The car will be supported on a suitable number of wheels preferablyeight, having solid bearings and the entire construction willy be ofsteel. The revolving drum will preferably be made of steel plates withplain butt joints traveling on the grooved rollers. When the inner tubeor shaftlias been inserted into the hole in the heading,

the jack screws will be adjusted yto lock the car rigidly. Various sizes'and types of drills may be employed according to the character of thework. The revolving drum is designed 4to make a revolution once in everyten minutes, and with the construction shown, it will be practicable toretard any one of the channelers, put in new tools or make repairs andrun it forward lto ya working position without stopping thel fies portrigidly carried bythe car and concen'- tric with the drill spindle,vsaid support be'- ing in rear Aofv the drill and having its free end ofsubstantially the same diameter as thek drill, whereby said support mayenter the hole drilled in the heading, a series of secondary drills, andmeansfor supporting them around` said spindle.v

ranged drill spindle"v and means for operating the same, ka tubeinclosing the same, said tube being adapted to enter a socket formedill. the heading by Said centrally arranged i 8. In a tunneling machine,a centrally ardrill, a series of drills about said tube and spindle andmeans for radially adjusting said drills.

4. A tunneling machine comprising a car, a centrally arranged drillspindle, a drill carried thereby, means for operating the spindle, asupport rigid with the car and concentric with the drill spindle forengaging the heading, a spider concentric with the support and supportedthereby, and a series of secondary drills carried by the spider, saiddrills being radially adjustable on said spider.

5. In a tunneling` machine, a car, a tube mounted thereon and projectingforwardly therefrom, a second tube concentric with said first named tubeand projecting in advance of the same, a drill spindle within saidsecond named tube, the forward end of said second named tube beingadapted to enter the drill hole with said spindle, a drum havinganti-friction bearings on said tube, means for revolving said drum and aseries of channel cutting drills mounted on said drum.

6. A tunneling apparatus comprising a car, a centrally arranged drillspindle therefor having a drill, and a casing inclosing said spindle andadapted to enter the drill hole therewith, a revolving drum concentricwith said spindle, a series of channel cutting drills mounted on saiddrum and means for operating said drill spindle and drills.

7. A tunneling machine comprising a car, a central drill, a centralsupport rigid with the car and concentric with the drill and adapted toengage the heading, a revolving drum carried by the support, and aseries of channelers carried by said drum.

8. A tunneling machine comprising a car, a central drill, a centralsupport rigid with the car and concentric with the drill and adapted toengage the heading, a drum mounted on and revolving` around saidsupport, said drum being in the form of a truncated cone with its outerend contiguous to the heading, and channelers mounted on said drum.

9. In a tunneling machine, a central support, a revolving drum, a seriesof screws mounted on the periphery of said drum at intervals, carriagesmounted on said screws, drill cylinders having link connections withsaid carriages, and means for swinging said cylinders toward or fromsaid drum.

10. In a tunneling apparatus, a longitudinally arranged stationarysupport, a stationary gear thereon, a drum having ant-ifriction bearingson said support, a series of screws having driving connections with saidgear, a series of carriages mounted on said screws and drills carriedthereby, and means for revolving said drum.

11. In a tunneling machine, a car, a centrally arranged drill spindleand drill car riages supported on the sides of said car and movable backand forth thereon, and drills vertically arranged in said carriages,screw shafts whereon said carriages are movable and driving connectionsbetween said screw shafts and said drill spindle.

12. In a tunneling apparatus, a car, a drill spindle mounted thereonprojecting forwardly therefrom, and means for driving said spindle,brackets hinged on the sides of said cai` and adapted to swing backagainst the walls thereof, means for locking said brackets in a positionat right angles substantially to said car, carriages horizontallyslidable between said brackets, screw shafts whereon said carriages aremovable and driving connections between said screw shafts and said drillspindle.

13. In a. machine of the class described the combination of a centerdrill and means for operating the same, a tube adapted to follow saidcenter drill into the heading, a series of secondary drills, a supportfor said secondary drills and means for moving said supports radiallywith respect to said tube, substantially as described.

14. A tunneling machine comprising a centrally arranged spindle, a drilltherefor and means for operating the same, a revolving drum having abearing on said spindle, a series of channelers carried by said drum,carriages wherein said channelers are mounted, and means connecting saidcarriages with said drum and permitting their movement toward or fromsaid drum.

15. In a drilling machine, a revolving drill carrier, a central supporttherefor adapted to engage the heading to be drilled, a drill spindleoperating within said support, drill carriages mounted on said carrierand revolving around said support and means for radially adjusting saidcarriages on said carrier.

16. A tunneling machine comprising a car, a central drill spindle havinga drill and means for operating the same, a support rigid with the carand concentric with the drill spindle and adapted to engage the headingin rear of the drill, a series of secondary drills, tilting carriagestherefor, and means supporting said carriages around said spindle.

'17. A tunneling machine comprising a car, a centrally arranged drillspindle having a drill and means for operating the same, a support rigidwith the car and concentric with the drill spindle and adapted to engagethe heading in rear of the drill, a series of secondary drills, tiltingcarriages therefor, means supporting said carriages, said carriagesbeing capable of adjustment toward or from said drill spindle.

18. In a tunneling machine comprising a car, a centrally arranged drillspindle, a drill and means for operating the same, a

support rigid With the car and concentric With the drill spindle andadapted to engage the heading in rear of the drill, a revolving spiderconcentric With said spindle, a series of tilting, secondary drillscarried by said spider.

19. A tunneling apparatus comprising a revolving drum, a supporttherefor, reciprocating carriages on the drum, and channelers havingparallel link connections with said carriages for radially adjusting thechannelers.

20. A tunneling apparatus comprising a car, a revolving carriersupported by said car, a drill spindle located centrally of saidcarrier, a drill carried by said spindle, means for operating said drillto out a socket in a tunnel heading, a central support in the rear ofsaid drill for engaging the socket in the tunnel heading in rear of thedrill and around which support said carrier revolves, carriages mountedon said carrier, and secondary drills supported by said carriages.

In Witness whereof, ,I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of August,1908.

DIGHTON A. ROBINSON. Witnesses:

GEORGE A. CARROLL, MAURICE J. FITZGERALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

